On Sept 24th, a very hot and windy day, I arrived in KY to be part of the World Equestrian Games 2010. This is the first time this huge equestrian event is taking place in North America. I have been helping out at the Show office which is in the center of the venue. It is where the Chefs de Missions and Chefs d’Equipes congregate to make their declarations, hand in Hippa forms, get meal vouchers, collect their team members awards and stall plaques. It also trouble shoots transportation, stabling and passport inquiries and anything in between. Here I have been reacquainted with some folks who I had met or worked with at previous WEGs so it has been a fun and interesting experience.
The show grounds are immense and it is easy to get lost. Fortunately though it is quite easy to hitch a golf cart ride especially being clad in the official volunteer WEG uniform. The last 3 WEGS I have been to, all in Europe, had more compact venues. The first few days my hip was sore from all the walking and I am not that old of a bag!
Another volunteer who I befriended who owns 4 PREs, (Pure Race Espagnol) and I were captivated by a gorgeous PRE named Fuego ridden by Juan Munoz Diaz from Spain. After his Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special test, we were determined to watch him along with the other combinations including what some are calling " the horse of the century" Totilas, do their practice run for the Musical Freestyle in the stadium on Thursday night. We had in fact turned into "Fuego Groupies" and giddily followed him from the warm up ring into the stadium and than back out where Edward Gal on Totilas were passing by in the pathway. We were both speechless as the 2 of us were in close midst of two of the world's most talented dressage horses. The universe had stopped for several seconds!
On Friday night the Dressage m
usical freestyle was very well attended almost filling the 32,000 (?) seat stadium. Happy for Steffen Peters who nailed the bronze! Very disappointed that the Spanish rider on a PRE, Fuego, was not justly awarded for his brilliant and almost perfect performance which brought down the house. The audience erupted in cheering and clapping in the middle of the test - something I have never seen before. Usually considered improper behavior for fear of distracting horse and rider, it was rather charming and the rider seemed to have loved it. The crowd booed wildly when their much lower than deserved scores were announced. Sad for the sport that some of the judges still display prejudice for the "unfavored" breeds and/or combinations. Edward Gal and Totilas had an inspiring and tear evoking (at least for me) Grand Prix test this past week, but this combination seemed to have lost some pizazz in the Grand Prix Special and then the Freestyle. We waited in our car for almost 2 hours to get out of the parking lot along with the other 10 to 15 thousand cars but it was all worth it seeing the creme de la creme in dressage.